Arienne Mandi is an American actress with Latin and Middle Eastern roots. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she is well recognized for her portrayal of Leila in Tatami, an Iranian judoka who fights literally and figuratively for her right to freedom. The film is directed by Oscar winner Guy Nattiv and Zar Amir Ebrahimi. After an award winning debut at the Venice Film Festival, the film received raves internationally and opens in the states this summer. Arienne also portrays Noor, a series regular on Netflix blockbuster action thriller The Night Agent. Next up you can catch her opposite Jon Hamm in S2 of Apple TV+ Your Friends & Neighbors.

Annette Insdorf is Professor of Film at Columbia University’s School of the Arts, and Moderator of 92NY’s Reel Pieces series. Her books include Francois Truffaut, a study of the French director’s work; two books about Polish filmmakers — Double Lives, Second Chances: The Cinema of Krzysztof Kieslowski and Intimations: The Cinema of Wojciech Has; Philip Kaufman; and the landmark study, Indelible Shadows: Film and the Holocaust (with a foreword by Elie Wiesel). Her latest book is Cinematic Overtures: How to Read Opening Scenes. Among the recent honors she has received are 92NY’s “Exceptional Women Award” (2020), the Silver Medallion from the 2021 Telluride Film Festival, and Moment Magazine’s Creativity Award (2021).

Current online courses for this instructor can be found at Roundtable by The 92nd Street Y, New York, at Roundtable.org.